Music Seniors Love: Top Songs from Every Generation

Music reduces stress, anxiety, and pain in seniors

Music is an amazing, drug-free way to improve the quality of life for older adults. Many studies show the benefits of music.

It reduces stress, anxiety, and pain. It also improves immune function, helps memory, and encourages exercise.

To help you find music your older adult loves, we’ve rounded up dozens of top hits from every generation.

Music reaches those with Alzheimer’s or dementia

Another benefit is that music helps people reminisce and go back and relate to emotions and experiences.

That’s why it’s often recommended for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia. It reduces anxiety and agitation and boosts happiness and engagement.

The documentary Alive Inside is a great example of how music can reach people with even very advanced dementia.

Top songs for every generation

In order to get the benefits, it’s important to play music that your older adult enjoys and connects with, typically music from their younger years.

We've got something for every generation, starting with the 1930s for those who are 90+ years old and going all the way to the songs 60 year olds will remember from their youth.

Here are some of the top artists and highly rated “best of” albums from each decade. Click the links to see the albums we suggest.

Top hits for 90+ year olds

• Perfect Nostalgia: Best Music of the 1920s 30s & 40s
• The Very Best Of The Andrews Sisters
• The Very Best of Benny Goodman
• 100 Hits Legends: Bing Crosby
• Glenn Miller Greatest Hits
• Judy Garland At 100: 26 Classics In Stereo

Top hits for 80+ year olds

• #1 Hits Of The 1940s
• Greatest Songs Of The 1940's
• Dinah Shore: Her Greatest Hits
• Doris Day's Greatest Hits
• The Very Best of Nat King Cole
• Patti Page: The Complete US Hits 1948-62
• Tony Bennett: All Time Greatest Hits

Top hits for 70+ year olds

• Rock N Roll Forever: Best of the 50's
• No. 1 Hits of the 50's
• Connie Francis: Gold
• Elvis Presley: The 50 Greatest Hits
• Everly Brothers: The Platinum Collection
• The Rat Pack: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr.

Top hits for 60+ year olds

• No 1 Hits Of The 60's
• Aretha Franklin: 30 Greatest Hits
• The Beatles 1
• The Very Best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
• The Very Best Of The Rolling Stones 1964-1971
• Roy Orbison: The Ultimate Collection
• The Best of Simon & Garfunkel

Top hits: Jazz

• Billie Holiday: The Platinum Collection
• Charlie Parker
• Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
• Ella Fitzgerald – Gold
• Louis Armstrong – All-Time Greatest Hits
• Miles Davis Kind of Blue

Recommended for you:

• Entertain and Engage Seniors with Books on Tape
• Free Crosswords for Seniors: Large Print Puzzles
• Entertaining Seniors at Home: Watch Free Live Nature Cameras

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About the Author

Connie Chow

Connie was a hands-on caregiver for her grandmother for 20 years. (Grandma made it to 101 years old!) She knows how challenging, overwhelming, and all-consuming caring for an older adult can be. She also knows how important support is — especially in the form of practical solutions, valuable resources, and self-care tips.